U.S. Olympic Trials: Torri Huske Goes Sub-53 to Grab Top Seed for Final of 100 Freestyle; Big Names Lurking

U.S. Olympic Trials: Torri Huske Goes Sub-53 to Grab Top Seed for Final of 100 Freestyle; Swimoff Needed for Eighth Spot

On paper, the United States will likely enter the Olympic Games in Paris as an underdog in the women’s 400-meter freestyle relay. Favorite status currently belongs to Australia, which boasts five Paris-bound athletes who have clocked sub-53 for the 100 freestyle at some point during their careers, including Mollie O’Callaghan.

But the American squad is developing nicely.

In the semifinals of the 100 freestyle during Tuesday night’s action at the United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, Torri Huske led four swimmers at 53.33 or faster, with the final of the event still to come. En route to the top seed, Huske registered a mark of 52.90 to book Lane Four for Wednesday night. Huske was followed as the second seed by 2016 Olympic champion Simone Manuel, who prevailed in the second semifinal in 53.16.

The Virginia tandem of Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh finished third and fourth behind respective times of 53.21 and 53.33. Douglass was contesting her first event of Trials while Walsh is chasing her second individual-event invitation for the Paris Games, following her victory and world record in the 100 butterfly from the opening two days of the meet. Huske was the runnerup to Walsh in the fly.

Manuel is a feel-good story in Indy, having bounced back from the Overtraining Syndrome diagnosis that hampered her at the last edition of Trials. Earlier this week, she advanced to the final of the 200 freestyle and while she missed out on a relay berth with a seventh-place finish, it was clear the Team USA veteran was in quality form for the sprint freestyles.

Team USA veteran Abbey Weitzeil clocked 53.66 to move into the final as the fifth seed, followed by Beata Nelson in 53.92 and Catie DeLoof in 53.98. A swimoff will be held to determine the eighth and last qualifier for the final after Anna Moesch and Erika Connolly tied for the eighth spot in 54.09.

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Kanga1

8 days ago

Gee. Tori would even make the Australian Final!